Apparatus and methods for provisioning devices to utilize services of mobile network operators

ABSTRACT

A system that incorporates teachings of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a method for facilitating, at a system including at least one processor, establishment of a communication session with a device coupled to a Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) by way of network equipment of a default Mobile Network Operator (MNO), receiving, at the system, information descriptive of an MNO selection, selecting, at the system, from a database of credentials of a plurality of MNOs first credential information according to the received information, wherein the first credential information is associated with a first MNO of the plurality of MNOs, and transmitting, from the system, the first credential information to the UICC over the communication session by way of the device to cause the UICC to facilitate establishment of communications with network equipment of the first MNO according to the first credential information. Other embodiments are disclosed.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/839,249, filed Aug. 28, 2015, which is acontinuation of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/473,106, filed May 16, 2012. The contents of each of the foregoingare hereby incorporated by reference into this application as if setforth herein in full.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The subject disclosure relates generally to an apparatus and methods forprovisioning devices to utilize services of mobile network operators.

BACKGROUND

Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) generally provide each subscriber aUniversal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC), commonly known as a SubscriberIdentity Module or SIM card, which enables authentication and access toa mobile network and provides identifiers that allow equipment of theMNO to account for service usage and to bill the subscriber accordingly.The SIM card is removable by the subscriber and can be inserted in anycompatible device, providing continuity of network access service fromdevice to device. A user can switch to another MNO by physicallyswapping SIM cards in their device.

In an environment involving machine-to-machine communications, it iscommon for a UICC to be placed in harsh environments such as acommunication device located in an automobile engine, or atop astreetlight, which is not easily accessible. In such applications theUICC is often embedded in the communication device and not physicallyreplaceable. When a subscriber of a device utilizing an embedded UICCwishes to switch to another MNO, the subscriber may have to replace thedevice if the embedded UICC is not configured to be re-provisioned.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are notnecessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:

FIG. 1 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a communication device;

FIG. 2 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a system including mobilenetwork operators (MNOs) and communication devices communicativelycoupled thereto;

FIG. 3 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a mapping of servicesprovided by the MNOs and software applications operating from one ormore of the communication devices of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a communication deviceutilizing a Universal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) to supporting amongother things enablement of software applications operating from thecommunication device;

FIG. 5 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a method for transitioningbetween the MNOs of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a system for provisioningend user terminals including a UICC to utilize services of one of aplurality of MNOs;

FIG. 7 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a method for provisioningthe UICC of the end user terminal of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic representation of a machine in the form of acomputer system within which a set of instructions, when executed, maycause the machine to perform any one or more of the methods describedherein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The subject disclosure describes, among other things, illustrativeembodiments for provisioning UICCs to utilize services of MNOs. Otherembodiments are contemplated by the subject disclosure.

One embodiment of the subject disclosure includes a Universal IntegratedCircuit Card (UICC) including a memory storing computer instructions,and processor coupled to the memory. The processor responsive toexecuting the computer instructions can perform operations includingretrieving from the memory first credential information for initiatingMNO selection services by way of a default MNO, facilitatingestablishment of communication services with network equipment of thedefault MNO according to the first credential information, initiating acommunication session with service equipment by way of the networkequipment of the default MNO, presenting at a user interface of a devicecoupled to the UICC a plurality of selectable options for selecting oneof a plurality of MNOs from which to receive communication services,detecting a selection from the plurality of selectable options, whereinthe selection identifies a first MNO selected from the plurality ofMNOs, transmitting to the service equipment information descriptive ofthe selection of the first MNO, receiving from the service equipmentsecond credential information, and facilitating establishment ofcommunication services with network equipment of the first MNO accordingto the second credential information.

One embodiment of the subject disclosure includes a computer-readablestorage medium including computer instructions which, responsive tobeing executed by at least one processor of a UICC, cause the at leastone processor to perform operations including identifying firstcredential information associated with a default MNO, facilitatingestablishment of communication services with network equipment of thedefault MNO according to the first credential information, initiating acommunication session with service equipment by way of the networkequipment of the default MNO, receiving from the service equipmentsecond credential information associated with a first MNO selected byequipment of a commercial enterprise, and facilitating establishment ofcommunication services with network equipment of the first MNO accordingto the second credential information.

One embodiment of the subject disclosure includes a method forfacilitating, at a system including at least one processor,establishment of a communication session with a device coupled to aUniversal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) by way of network equipment ofa default Mobile Network Operator (MNO), receiving, at the system,information descriptive of an MNO selection, selecting, at the system,from a database of credentials of a plurality of MNOs first credentialinformation according to the received information, wherein the firstcredential information is associated with a first MNO of the pluralityof MNOs, and transmitting, from the system, the first credentialinformation to the UICC over the communication session by way of thedevice to cause the UICC to facilitate establishment of communicationswith network equipment of the first MNO according to the firstcredential information.

One embodiment of the subject disclosure includes a UICC having a memorystoring computer instructions, and a processor coupled to the memory.The processor responsive to executing the computer instructions canperform operations including storing parametric information descriptiveof operational features of a plurality of software applicationsexecutable by the UICC or a device communicatively coupled to the UICC,where the plurality of software applications when executed makes use ofservices provided by equipment of a first MNO. When executing thecomputer instructions, the processor can also perform operationsincluding detecting an event indicating that the plurality of softwareapplications are to utilize services provided by equipment of a secondMNO, transmitting to the equipment of the second MNO the parametricinformation descriptive of the operational features of the plurality ofsoftware applications to configure the services provided by theequipment of the second MNO to interoperate with the plurality ofsoftware applications when executed, and causing or enabling executionof a first software application of the plurality of softwareapplications to interact with at least one of the configured servicesprovided by the equipment of the second MNO.

One embodiment of the subject disclosure includes a computer-readablestorage medium including computer instructions which, responsive tobeing executed by at least one processor of a UICC, cause the at leastone processor to perform operations including storing parametricinformation descriptive of operational features of a plurality ofsoftware applications, where the plurality of software applications whenexecuted makes use of services provided by equipment of a first MNO.When executing the computer instructions, the at least one processor canalso perform operations including detecting an event indicating that theplurality of software applications are to utilize services provided byequipment of a second MNO, and transmitting to the equipment of thesecond MNO the parametric information descriptive of the operationalfeatures of the plurality of software applications to configure theservices provided by the equipment of the second MNO to interoperatewith the plurality of software applications.

One embodiment of the subject disclosure includes a method storing, at aUniversal Integrated Circuit Card (UICC) including at least oneprocessor, parametric information descriptive of operational features ofa plurality of software applications, where the plurality of softwareapplications when executed makes use of services provided by equipmentof a first MNO. The method can further include detecting, at the UICC,an event indicating that the plurality of software applications are toutilize services provided by equipment of a second MNO, and causing,from the UICC, a transmission of the parametric information descriptiveof the operational features of the plurality of software applications tothe equipment of the second MNO.

FIG. 1 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a communication device 100.The communication device 100 can represent a number of possible devicetypes such as, for example, a cellular telephone, a personal digitalassistance, a smart phone, a tablet, a portable computer such as alaptop, an industrial device for providing telemetry information to acentral station for monitoring, diagnostics, mitigation or othersuitable functions. Multiple variants of the communication device 100are thus contemplated by the subject disclosure.

The communication device 100 can comprise a wireline and/or wirelesstransceiver 102 (herein transceiver 102), a user interface (UI) 104, apower supply 114, a location receiver 116, a motion sensor 118, anorientation sensor 120, a UICC 121, and a controller 106 for interactingwith or managing operations thereof. The transceiver 102 can supportshort-range or long-range wireless access technologies such asBLUETOOTH®, ZIGBEE®, WIFI®, Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications(DECT™), or cellular communication technologies, just to mention a few.Cellular technologies can include, for example, CDMA-1X, UMTS/HSDPA,GSM/GPRS, TDMA/EDGE, EV/DO, WIMAX™, software defined radio (SDR), LongTerm Evolution (LTE), as well as other next generation wirelesscommunication technologies as they arise. The transceiver 102 can alsobe adapted to support circuit-switched wireline access technologies(such as Public Switched Telephone Network or PSTN), packet-switchedwireline access technologies (such as TCP/IP, VoIP, IP MultimediaSubsystems or IMS, etc.), and combinations thereof.

The UI 104 can include a depressible or touch-sensitive keypad 108 witha navigation mechanism such as a roller ball, a joystick, a mouse, or anavigation disk for manipulating operations of the communication device100. The keypad 108 can be an integral part of a housing assembly of thecommunication device 100 or an independent device communicativelycoupled thereto by a tethered wireline interface (such as a USB cable)or a wireless interface supporting for example BLUETOOTH®. The keypad108 can represent a numeric keypad commonly used by phones, and/or aQWERTY keypad with alphanumeric keys.

The UI 104 can further include a display 110 such as monochrome or colorLCD (Liquid Crystal Display), OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) orother suitable display technology for conveying images to an end user ofthe communication device 100. In an embodiment where the display 110 istouch-sensitive, a portion or all of the keypad 108 can be presented byway of the display 110 with navigation features. The display 110 can bean integral part of the housing assembly of the communication device 100or an independent device communicatively coupled to the communicationdevice 100 by a tethered wireline interface (such as a cable) or awireless interface.

The UI 104 can also include an audio system 112 that utilizes commonaudio technology for conveying low volume audio (such as audio heardonly in the proximity of a human ear) and high volume audio (such asspeakerphone for hands free operation). The audio system 112 can furtherinclude a microphone for receiving audible signals of an end user. Theaudio system 112 can also be used for voice recognition applications.The UI 104 can further include an image sensor 113 such as a chargedcoupled device (CCD) camera for capturing still or moving images.

The power supply 114 can utilize common power management technologiessuch as replaceable and rechargeable batteries, supply regulationtechnologies, and/or charging system technologies for supplying energyto the components of the communication device 100 to facilitatelong-range or short-range portable applications. Alternatively, thecharging system can utilize external power sources such as DC powersupplied over a physical interface such as a USB port or other suitabletethering technologies.

The location receiver 116 can utilize location technology such as aglobal positioning system (GPS) receiver capable of assisted GPS foridentifying a location of the communication device 100 based on signalsgenerated by a constellation of GPS satellites, which can be used forfacilitating location services such as navigation. The motion sensor 118can utilize motion sensing technology such as an accelerometer, agyroscope, or other suitable motion sensing technology to detect motionof the communication device 100 in three-dimensional space. Theorientation sensor 120 can utilize orientation sensing technology suchas a magnetometer to detect the orientation of the communication device100 (north, south, west, and east, as well as combined orientations indegrees, minutes, or other suitable orientation metrics).

The UICC 121 can be utilized for storing data to enable thecommunication device 100 to, among other things, establishcommunications with a communication network such as a cellular basestation, support enablement of software applications stored in the UICCor a memory of the communication device 100 that makes use of servicesprovided by the communication network. The data stored in the UICC 121can include, for example, an International Mobile Subscriber Identity(IMSI), a personal phone book, executable software applicationspurchased by the subscriber, a mapping of services between the softwareapplications and services of a communication network, MNO policy files,and other information as will be described below.

Depending on the communication protocol or the applicable use of theUICC 121, the UICC 121 can be referred to as a subscriber identitymodule (SIM), a Removable User Identity Module (RUIM), an embedded UICC(eUICC), an embedded SIM (eSIM), and so on. An eUICC or eSIM canrepresent UICC devices that are integrated by soldering the device ontoa printed circuit board of the communication device 100, by attachingthe device to a housing assembly of the communication 100, or bysoftware integration of the UICC functions in an existing processor ofthe communication device 100. Present and next generation physical andoperational variants of the UICC 121 are contemplated by the presentdisclosure.

The controller 106 can utilize computing technologies such as amicroprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), and/or a videoprocessor with associated storage memory such as Flash, ROM, RAM, SRAM,DRAM or other storage technologies for executing computer instructions,controlling, and processing data supplied by the aforementionedcomponents of the communication device 100.

The controller 106 can be communicatively coupled to a device 115 thatcan supply telemetry data (e.g., an automobile, a utility meter, etc.).In one embodiment, the communication device 100 can be an integral partof the device 115. In another embodiment, the communication device 100can be co-located and communicatively coupled to the device 115 by wayof a physical or wireless communication interface.

FIG. 2 depicts a system 200 with illustrative embodiments of thecommunication device 100. In one embodiment, the communication device100 can represent a consumer device such as a cellular telephone 202, acomputer or laptop 204. In a commercial setting, the communicationdevice 100 can be communicatively coupled to a vending machine 206, autility meter 208, a parking meter 210, a commercial transport vehicle212, or an automobile 214. In these latter embodiments, the UICC 121 canbe an embedded (non-removable) device. The embodiments of thecommunication device 100 shown in FIG. 2 can be operable to facilitateestablishment of communications with mobile network operator (MNO) 201or mobile network operator 203. MNO 201 and MNO 203 can operateaccording to common wireless access protocols such as Global System forMobile or GSM, Code Division Multiple Access or CDMA, Time DivisionMultiple Access or TDMA, Universal Mobile Telecommunications or UMTS,World interoperability for Microwave or WIMAX™, Software Defined Radioor SDR, Long Term Evolution or LTE, and so on.

MNO 201 or MNO 203 provide wireless communication services to subscriberdevices in large regions such as cities, states, and nationally. MNO 201and MNO 203 are generally independently operated businesses.Consequently, the services provided by MNO 201 and MNO 203 may differ inways that may cause interoperability issues when the softwareapplications supported by UICC 121 of a communication device 100 attemptto utilize the services of a new MNO.

FIG. 3 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a mapping of servicesprovided by the MNOs to software applications operating from thecommunication devices of FIG. 2. MNO services can include, for example,text messaging services such as Short Messaging Service (SMS),multimedia messaging such as Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS),location services, identity services, third party services, cloudservices, and authentication services by way of public keyinfrastructure (PKI) certificates, just to mention a few. Softwareapplications executed from the communication devices of FIG. 2 can makeuse of the MNO services. For example, a software application fortracking weather can make use of SMS messages for alerts, and locationservices to identify weather conditions relative to the location of thecommunication device. Cloud phonebook software applications can utilizeCloud services of the MNO (e.g., an enterprise directory or personaldirectories stored on a webserver).

Mobile payment or ecommerce services can make use of SMS messaging,identity services, and third party services (e.g., PayPal™). Subscriberto subscriber messaging applications can make use of SMS and MMSmessaging. Protected content that relies on Digital Rights Management(DRM) rules can make use of identify services and PKI certificateservices of the MNO. In a commercial setting where telemetry data orother useful metrics are being monitored by commercial enterprises, suchenterprises may have arrangements with the MNO to link subscriberdevices in the field (e.g., at a vending machine, utility meter, etc. asshown in FIG. 2) with processing devices of the commercial enterprisesuch as servers.

Subscribers such as consumers and business enterprises can invest insoftware applications such as described above. When a subscriber choosesto switch to a new MNO, the services of the new MNO may not operate inthe same manner as the prior MNO, thereby causing interoperabilityissues with the software applications supported by the UICC 121. In oneembodiment, the interoperability issues can be resolved with acommunication device 400 configured with a UICC 404 that supports, amongother things, operations of software applications operating from thecommunication device 400 as shown in FIG. 4.

Communication device 400 depicts an end user terminal 402 utilizing anUICC 404 with a service continuity application (SCA) 406. The SCA 406can comprise a processing engine 408 that executes software modules suchas a notification engine module 410, an MNO policy file system module412, an event listener module 414, and a local application registrymodule 416 which can link to local software applications 418 executableby the UICC 402, and software applications 420 external to the UICC 402and executable by a processor of the end user terminal 402.

The functional modules of the SCA 406 can be described as follows:

The processing engine 408 mediates interactions between functionalmodules of the SCA 406 and directs configuration updates to softwareapplications resident in the UICC 402 or externally controlled by theUICC 402. The processing engine 408 can also send configuration updatesto an MNO via a provisioning service 430, and an application trustservice 432 having access to a global application registry 434 toidentify software applications trusted by the MNO.

The notification engine module 410 can trigger external actions such asa device management session with the MNO's core network to initiatedevice provisioning, or information to be displayed to the user, such asownership transfer instructions or advice on trust status of softwareapplications.

The policy file system module 412 stores files provided by the MNOcontaining information necessary to ensure service continuity of usersoftware applications such as network service configuration parameters,access and management permissions for user software applicationsutilizing MNO services, DRM rights certificate updates, and ownershiptransfer instructions.

The event listener module 414 detects a change from one MNO to another,as well as changes to the local application registry 416 indicatingsoftware applications were added or deleted.

The local application registry module 416 contains a mapping between allinstalled software applications and the network services andconfiguration parameters they require.

The SCA 406 can be installed in the end user terminal 402 by way of anembedded UICC 404 or removable UICC 404. The SCA 406 can be configuredto monitor for MNO switch events. This is accomplished in the eventlistener module 414. The event listener module 414 is also responsibleto react to application change events (add, delete, update, etc.) inorder to trigger the processing/reprocessing of service continuityrules.

Software applications installed in the end user terminal 402 can beregistered with the local application registry module 416. Uponreceiving triggering events from the event listener module 414, theprocessing engine 408 can perform a trust lookup with the MNO trustservice 432 to request the updated trust level for all local andexternal software applications 418, 420 operating from the UICC 404 orend user terminal 402 based on the MNO's own trust model. A softwareapplication can be considered trusted by one MNO but can be considereduntrusted by another depending on factors determined by the MNO such as,for example, bandwidth utilization of the application, an identity ofthe author of the application, compliance with DRM rules, or othercriteria deemed important to service personnel of the MNO.

The MNO provisioning service 430 can generate a new Device Policy Update(DPA) file during the transition process. MNO DPA files can be storedlocally in the UICC 404 and can be updated based on the MNO switch eventand an application change event detected by the MNO provisioning service430. The processing engine 408 can be configured to cross referenceinstalled software applications with an MNO Policy File to determinedependencies, and rules and to update the configuration settings of thesoftware application.

Upon processing the rules and making all the necessary configurationupdates to the affected software applications as defined by a policyfile supplied by the MNO, the processing engine 408 can cause thenotification engine module 410, as required, to trigger mechanisms tonotify a user of the end user terminal 402, the MNO or third partiesabout the changes applied to the software application's configuration,and or trigger a device management session to initiate further deviceprovisioning with provisioning service 430 of the MNO.

It should be noted that the end user terminal 402 depicted in FIG. 4 canbe replaced with an integrated fixed-location communication devicesituated, for example, in the vending machine 206, the utility meter208, the parking meter 210 or the vehicles 212 or 214 shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a method 500 fortransitioning between services provided by the MNOs 202 and 204 of FIG.2 utilizing, for example, the communication device 400 of FIG. 4. Method500 can begin with step 502 in which the UICC 404 stores servicemappings and parametric information in the local registry module 416.The mappings can represent service to software application mappingssimilar to those shown in FIG. 3. The parametric information canrepresent configuration information which is used by an MNO service toconfigure the service to interoperate with one or more of the softwareapplications 418 and 420. The parametric information can also representconfiguration information used to configure the software applications418 and 420 in accordance with service policy information stored in thefile system 412. In step 504, the UICC 404 can cause or enable all orsome of the software applications 418 and 420 to be executed. At step506, the UICC 404 can track when a software application update has takenplace.

A software application update can represent a deletion of an existingsoftware application, a modification, version update, or reconfigurationof an existing software application, or an addition of a new softwareapplication. The update of a software application can result from userinput, external messages received by the end user terminal 402, or othersuitable techniques for updating software applications supported by theUICC 404. If a software application update is detected at step 506, theUICC 404 can proceed to update the registry 416, and if needed, informthe MNO of the update by way of, for example, the provisioning service430 and/or the application trust service 432.

If a software update has not been detected, the UICC 404 can proceed tostep 510 where it monitors events for transitioning between MNOs (e.g.,transitioning from MNO 202 to MNO 204 of FIG. 2). The transition betweenMNOs can be initiated by the subscriber at any time by, for example,establishing a new agreement with an MNO. If a transition event is notdetected at step 510, the UICC 404 continues to execute or enablesoftware applications as requested at step 504 and monitor softwareupdates at step 506. If an MNO transition is detected, the UICC 404 canproceed to step 516 where the UICC transmits to the second MNO via theend user terminal 402 parametric information descriptive of softwareapplications resident in the UICC 404 and external to the UICC 404.

The parametric information can include, for example, the names,versions, model no's, serial no's, or other identification data of thesoftware applications along with information descriptive of the MNOservices desired by each software application, and the operationalfeatures, conditions, or requirements necessary to configure the MNOservices to interoperate with the software applications. At step 518,the second MNO can review by way of the application trust service 432the identity of the software applications and determine if the softwareapplications are trusted by the second MNO. Trust criteria can beestablished by the second MNO. Software applications that were trustedby the first MNO may not be trusted by the second MNO because, forexample, personnel of the second MNO have determined that allowing aparticular software application can cause network congestion,interoperability issues with the services of the second MNO, or thesoftware application is not recognized by the second MNO, or has knowndefects that have not been mitigated to the satisfaction of personnel ofthe second MNO. Other criteria may be defined by the second MNO. Suchcriteria can be updated periodically and result in a previously trustedsoftware application no longer being trusted.

If a software application is not trusted, the UICC 404 can proceed tostep 520 where it generates a notification by way of, for example, thenotification engine module 410. The notification may be submitted to theuser of the end user terminal 402. The user can be presented, forexample, with a GUI that informs the user that some services cannot besupported by the second MNO. For any and all software applications thathave been determined to be trusted by the second MNO at step 518, thesecond MNO proceeds to step 522 where it configures its services byproviding appropriate parametric information to the UICC 404.

At step 524, the second MNO transmits policy and parametric informationto the UICC 404 which it stores in the MNO Policy files 412 at step 526.The policy information can represent usage policies for defining properusage of services provided by the MNO, while the parametric informationcan include operational information such as server addresses foraccessing services of the MNO. In the same step, the UICC 404 canutilize configuration information provided in the policy files to updatethe local registry module 416 and thereby configure operationalparameters of the software applications. The configuration of theservices of the second MNO and the policy information used to configurethe software applications supported by the UICC 404 enables the softwareapplications and the MNO services to be interoperable. At step 528, theUICC 404 can execute one or more local software applications 418requested by user input or by automated schedules. Alternatively, theUICC 404 can enable by way of the configuration information stored inthe registry 416 one or more external software applications 420 forexecution by a processor of the end user terminal 402 according to userinput detected thereby. If interactions between the MNO services and thesoftware applications do not cause execution errors or trigger alarms ateither the second MNO or the software applications, then the UICC 404can proceed to step 534 to update the registry module 416 with newmappings and updated parametric data descriptive of the requirements setby the second MNO via the policy files.

The UICC 404 can also be configured to present at step 536 a GUI toprompt the subscriber if necessary. The prompt can present, for example,a new fee schedule for utilizing the MNO services if a fee agreement wasnot pre-arranged, or if new service options are offered by the secondMNO. The prompt can also confirm to the subscriber that the transitionwas successful and that the software applications are successfullyutilizing the MNO services. If, on the other hand, one or more softwareapplications did not successfully interoperate with the MNO services,the new MNO can notify the UICC 404 at step 532 that an error hasoccurred. The UICC 404 can be configured to notify the subscriber of theissue and remain communicatively coupled to the second MNO while othersoftware applications not having interoperability issues continue to beserviced by the second MNO. The subscriber can, among other things,contact personnel of the second MNO to address the error.

The foregoing embodiments provide a suitable solution for maintaininginteroperability between MNO services and software applications during atransition between MNOs without requiring a replacement of the UICC.

FIG. 6 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a system 700 forprovisioning end user terminals including a UICC to utilize services ofone of a plurality of MNOs. FIG. 7 depicts an illustrative embodiment ofa method 700 for provisioning the UICC of the end user terminal of FIG.6. Method 700 begins with step 702 in which a bootstrap UICC retrievescredentials of a default MNO. In the present context the term“bootstrap” can represent an initial provisioning of the UICC withcredentials of one or more default MNOs (bootstrap MNOs). Thecredentials of the default MNOs can be stored in the UICC at the timethe UICC is manufactured, installed in end user terminal, or provisionedwith a default setting by other suitable means.

At step 704, the UICC can cause the end user terminal to facilitatecommunications with the default MNO according to the credentials. Atstep 706, the UICC can initiate a secure communication session withservice equipment that stores and distributes MNO credentials. Theservice equipment can be equipment of a UICC vendor, equipment of thedefault MNO, or equipment of a third party responsible for maintaining,and distributing MNO credentials. At step 708, the service equipmentsends MNO options to the UICC via the secure communication session, orto equipment of an enterprise for presenting selectable options forMNOs. In one embodiment, the UICC causes the end user terminal topresent at a user interface (e.g., display) selectable MNO options to auser of the end user terminal. Alternatively, in a commercial setting,the equipment of the enterprise presents selectable MNO options topersonnel at a computer terminal. The enterprise personnel can be taskedto manage selection of MNOs for end user terminals of the enterprisebased on usage policies of the enterprise.

At step 714, the service equipment can detect one or more MNO selectionsand proceed to step 716 to retrieve credentials of the selected MNO(s)and transmit the credentials to the UICC. In an enterprise setting, theenterprise personnel may select more than one MNO for backup purposes(e.g., preferred MNO and backup MNO). Accordingly, when a preferred MNOexperiences a communication fault, the UICC can be configured withcredentials of a backup MNO. Such a configuration enables enterprisecustomers to increase the reliability of communication services providedto end user terminals of the enterprise. At step 718, the UICC updatesthe registry with the received credentials of the MNO(s). At step 718,the end user terminal utilizes the UICC to facilitate termination ofcommunication services with the default MNO and thereafter initiates instep 722 communication services with the selected MNO according to thecredentials provided in the registry of the UICC. If a backup MNO isprovided, the end user terminal or the UICC can monitor communicationfaults with the preferred MNO at step 724, and if a fault is detected,cause the end user terminal to transition to the backup MNO at step 726.

Contemporaneous with steps 718-720, the service or enterprise equipmentat step 720 can be configured to send a request to the selected MNO(s)to activate subscription services for the end user terminal utilizingthe UICC. At step 732, the default MNO updates network elements such asthe Service Routing Point (SRP) and the Network Identity Register (NIR)to remove the UICC from its records, thereby removing the bootstrapsettings. In addition, the default MNO at step 734 can record a chargefor provisioning the UICC. The charge can be applied to a subscriberassociated with the end user terminal or the enterprise controlling theMNO selection for end user terminals.

It should be noted that FIGS. 6-7 can be modified for additionalapplications. For example, the term “end user terminal” referred to inFIGS. 6 and 7 can be replaced with a non-portable terminal that may beutilized in an industrial setting such as a device attached to anautomobile for delivering telemetry data to a central station, a vendingmachine for tracking consumer usage, and so on. Additionally, thetechniques described in method 500 for maintaining continuity ofservices can be applied to the embodiments of method 700. Similarly, theembodiments of method 700 can be utilized to supplement the embodimentsof method 500.

Upon reviewing these embodiments, it would be evident to an artisan withordinary skill in the art that said embodiments can be modified,reduced, or enhanced without departing from the scope and spirit of theclaims described below. For example, the UICC 404 and its functionalmodules can be integrated as software components of a microprocessorutilized by the communication device. In this embodiment, themicroprocessor performs communication functions as well as the functionsdescribed above for the UICC without the additional hardware of a UICC.This embodiment can be referred to as a “soft” UICC configured accordingto the embodiments described herein. In the foregoing embodiments, theterm “MNO” can be replaced with a Landline Network Operator (LNO). AnLNO may support circuit switched or packet switched landlinecommunications. In one embodiment, an end user terminal 402 configuredwith a landline interface (see transceiver 102 of FIG. 1) may beaccessible by the LNO.

A UICC utilized by the end user terminal 402 with the landline interfacecan be configured to perform the functions of method 500 for maintainingservice continuity when transitioning between LNOs. In anotherembodiment, an end user terminal 402 capable of landline and wirelesscommunications, can include a UICC configured for maintaining servicecontinuity for LNO to MNO transitions, and vice-versa. Accordingly,method 500 can be adapted for maintaining service continuity betweennetwork operators of various access technologies. Other embodiments arecontemplated by the subject disclosure.

FIG. 8 depicts an exemplary diagrammatic representation of a machine inthe form of a computer system 800 within which a set of instructions,when executed, may cause the machine to perform any one or more of themethods discussed above. One or more instances of the machine canoperate, for example, as the communication devices 100 and 400 of FIGS.1 and 4, their respective subcomponents, such as the UICC. In someembodiments, the machine may be connected (e.g., using a network) toother machines. In a networked deployment, the machine may operate inthe capacity of a server or a client user machine in server-client usernetwork environment, or as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer (ordistributed) network environment.

The machine may comprise a server computer, a client user computer, apersonal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a smart phone, a laptop computer, adesktop computer, a control system, a network router, switch or bridge,or any machine capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential orotherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that machine. It will beunderstood that a communication device of the subject disclosureincludes broadly any electronic device that provides voice, video ordata communication. Further, while a single machine is illustrated, theterm “machine” shall also be taken to include any collection of machinesthat individually or jointly execute a set (or multiple sets) ofinstructions to perform any one or more of the methods discussed herein.

The computer system 800 may include a processor (or controller) 802(e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU,or both), a main memory 804 and a static memory 806, which communicatewith each other via a bus 808. The computer system 800 may furtherinclude a video display unit 810 (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD),a flat panel, or a solid state display. The computer system 800 mayinclude an input device 812 (e.g., a keyboard), a cursor control device814 (e.g., a mouse), a disk drive unit 816, a signal generation device818 (e.g., a speaker or remote control) and a network interface device820.

The disk drive unit 816 may include a tangible computer-readable storagemedium 822 on which is stored one or more sets of instructions (e.g.,software 824) embodying any one or more of the methods or functionsdescribed herein, including those methods illustrated above. Theinstructions 824 may also reside, completely or at least partially,within the main memory 804, the static memory 806, and/or within theprocessor 802 during execution thereof by the computer system 800. Themain memory 804 and the processor 802 also may constitute tangiblecomputer-readable storage media.

Dedicated hardware implementations including, but not limited to,application specific integrated circuits, programmable logic arrays andother hardware devices can likewise be constructed to implement themethods described herein. Applications that may include the apparatusand systems of various embodiments broadly include a variety ofelectronic and computer systems. Some embodiments implement functions intwo or more specific interconnected hardware modules or devices withrelated control and data signals communicated between and through themodules, or as portions of an application-specific integrated circuit.Thus, the example system is applicable to software, firmware, andhardware implementations.

In accordance with various embodiments of the subject disclosure, themethods described herein are intended for operation as software programsrunning on a computer processor. Furthermore, software implementationscan include, but not limited to, distributed processing orcomponent/object distributed processing, parallel processing, or virtualmachine processing can also be constructed to implement the methodsdescribed herein.

While the tangible computer-readable storage medium 822 is shown in anexample embodiment to be a single medium, the term “tangiblecomputer-readable storage medium” should be taken to include a singlemedium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database,and/or associated caches and servers) that store the one or more sets ofinstructions. The term “tangible computer-readable storage medium” shallalso be taken to include any non-transitory medium that is capable ofstoring or encoding a set of instructions for execution by the machineand that cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methods ofthe subject disclosure.

The term “tangible computer-readable storage medium” shall accordinglybe taken to include, but not be limited to: solid-state memories such asa memory card or other package that houses one or more read-only(non-volatile) memories, random access memories, or other re-writable(volatile) memories, a magneto-optical or optical medium such as a diskor tape, or other tangible media which can be used to store information.Accordingly, the disclosure is considered to include any one or more ofa tangible computer-readable storage medium, as listed herein andincluding art-recognized equivalents and successor media, in which thesoftware implementations herein are stored.

Although the present specification describes components and functionsimplemented in the embodiments with reference to particular standardsand protocols, the disclosure is not limited to such standards andprotocols. Each of the standards for Internet and other packet switchednetwork transmission (e.g., TCP/IP, UDP/IP, HTML, HTTP) representexamples of the state of the art. Such standards are from time-to-timesuperseded by faster or more efficient equivalents having essentiallythe same functions. Wireless standards for device detection (e.g.,RFID), short-range communications (e.g., BLUETOOTH®, WIFI®, ZIGBEE®),and long-range communications (e.g., WIMAX™, GSM, CDMA, LTE) arecontemplated for use by computer system 800.

The illustrations of embodiments described herein are intended toprovide a general understanding of the structure of various embodiments,and they are not intended to serve as a complete description of all theelements and features of apparatus and systems that might make use ofthe structures described herein. Many other embodiments will be apparentto those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. Otherembodiments may be utilized and derived therefrom, such that structuraland logical substitutions and changes may be made without departing fromthe scope of this disclosure. Figures are also merely representationaland may not be drawn to scale. Certain proportions thereof may beexaggerated, while others may be minimized. Accordingly, thespecification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative ratherthan a restrictive sense.

Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and describedherein, it should be appreciated that any arrangement calculated toachieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodimentsshown. This disclosure is intended to cover any and all adaptations orvariations of various embodiments. Combinations of the aboveembodiments, and other embodiments not specifically described herein,are contemplated by the subject disclosure.

The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided with the understanding thatit will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of theclaims. In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it can beseen that various features are grouped together in a single embodimentfor the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method ofdisclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that theclaimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited ineach claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subjectmatter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment.Thus the following claims are hereby incorporated into the DetailedDescription, with each claim standing on its own as a separately claimedsubject matter.

What is claimed is:
 1. A communication device, comprising: a processingsystem including a processor; and a memory that stores executableinstructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitateperformance of operations, comprising: accessing, at the memory, defaultcredentials associated with a default mobile network; transmitting, tothe default mobile network, a first request for a communication sessionwith the default mobile network according to the default credentialsassociated with the default mobile network; receiving, from the defaultmobile network, a list including a plurality of mobile networksresponsive to the first request for the communication session;transmitting, to the default mobile network, a selection of a firstmobile network from the list including the plurality of mobile networks;receiving, from the default mobile network, first credential informationassociated with the first mobile network, wherein the default mobilenetwork accesses the first credential information from a database ofcredential information associated with the plurality of mobile networks;storing, at the memory, the first credential information associated withthe first mobile network that is received; and transmitting, to thefirst mobile network, a second request to activate a subscriptionservice with the first mobile network according to first credentialsassociated with the first mobile network, wherein the default mobilenetwork, responsive to activation of the subscription service,terminates services to the communication device.
 2. The communicationdevice of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise presentingthe list including the plurality of mobile networks as a list ofselectable options at a display of the communication device via agraphical user interface.
 3. The communication device of claim 2,wherein the operations further comprise detecting the selection, via thegraphical user interface, of the first mobile network by a user of thecommunication device.
 4. The communication device of claim 1, whereinthe default mobile network updates a record in a network element toterminate the services by the communication device.
 5. The communicationdevice of claim 4, wherein the network element comprises a servicerouting point, a network identity register, or a combination thereof. 6.The communication device of claim 1, wherein the default mobile networkincludes service equipment for managing distribution of credentials ofthe plurality of mobile networks to a plurality of communicationdevices.
 7. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the defaultmobile network, responsive to activation of the subscription service bythe first mobile network, records a charge for provisioning thecommunication device.
 8. The communication device of claim 7, whereinthe charge is applied to a subscriber to the services associated withthe communication device.
 9. The communication device of claim 1,wherein the communication session is a secure data session.